Crane Family Moments
by xfilesfanatic
Summary: An series of short, independent one-shots set post-series after David is born.
1. Welcome to Fatherhood

**Disclaimer:** Frasier characters aren't mine...:(

**A/N: **This scene takes place in "Goodnight Seattle"; it's meant to occur right in between the moment Martin leaves the balcony and Daphne coming to ask Niles to take David.

Welcome to Fatherhood

Niles couldn't believe it: after nine tedious months of waiting and watching his wife go through unpredictable hormonal mood swings, his first child with Daphne had arrived into the world at long last. Her water broke in the middle of Eddie's appointment with the vet, and she gave birth right there in the office, a most unlikely place to have a baby, and probably not the most sanitary, either; thank goodness there was a registered nurse present to help with the delivery. The amateur vet never had a clue what he was doing.

As unusual as the event may have been, to Niles it could not have been any more perfect. The childbirth proceeded without complications, the baby was healthy, and the unique place and timing of the birth guaranteed it be a memory forever burned into his mind. He momentarily passed out after encouraging Daphne to breathe in and out, as they had practiced in Lamaze class, and that was perfect, too. He temporarily lost consciousness not from overexertion, but from the overwhelming excitement, anticipation, and happiness that coursed through his veins in that instant: it had felt so wonderful, it was almost unbearable. Oh, and his son...Daphne's son, _their_ son...was more beautiful than he had ever imagined, with his chin and his mother's brilliant brown eyes. _David Crane, _the son of a gifted psychiatrist and an angel. What a perfect name for their child.

The sound of Daphne's voice played over and over in his head: _"Isn't he perfect, Dad?"_ How he could forever drown in her voice, in those very words! He was a father, and to think once he thought it would never be. It was beyond him how he managed to hold back tears of joy at the sight of his son clutching his mother's hair with his tiny fingers. He responded to Daphne's question the with the only answer he could think to give: "He certainly is, _Mom_."

Could Niles have been any more lucky?

…...

"Niles, are you with us?" Frasier's gentle tone and a mild gust of nighttime breeze cut through his brother's wandering thoughts. Niles found himself back to reality, standing next to Frasier on his balcony under the starry evening sky, while inside the warm-lit room of the apartment, his lovely wife stood, holding their swaddled newborn against her chest, gently swaying him back and forth and patting his back.

"There's nowhere else I'd rather be, Frasier," he responded with a look of pure content on his face, and took a sip of sherry from his wine glass. "I was just thinking. It's been quite a day."

Frasier nodded his head in agreement. "Yes, Niles, it has been. Dad's remarried, Roz and I are experiencing new changes in our careers, and most important of all, your son was born today. And one day, when we're all taking a trip down memory lane, I doubt any of us will forget how momentous today was, especially you."

"I know. Can you believe it, Frasier?" Niles couldn't help but smile as he fingered his wedding ring. As tired as he was from the day's events, he was still elated from all that had happened. "I have a son now. And to think that at one time, I never thought it would be. And before that, I never even thought that Daphne and I would end up together; it seemed she would always be out of my reach, no matter how much I loved her. And now here we are, a family."

Frasier gave his brother a smile and fixed his gaze back inside the apartment to his nephew and sister-in-law. He was genuinely happy for Niles; had his brother never taken a chance on the night before Daphne's wedding to Donny, had he never openly confessed his love after so long, he would not be as happy as he was now, and David might never have come into existence. But his brother had faced his fear at the last minute, he told Daphne he loved her, and it had all been well worth it. Daphne and Niles would forever be together, they were both so in love; of that, Frasier was certain. If only the same could have been for him and Lilith, if only he could have been there for his own son every day of his life, instead of on the other side of the country most of the time. True, Niles' marriage would turn out better than Frasier's, just like his IQ scores had once, but in this instance there was no jealousy or competition on Frasier's part, only happiness.

"Yes, Niles, here you are. It took eleven years, but I'm glad that everything has finally fallen into place for you. And since I already have a son, let me offer some advice?" Niles nodded to his brother. "Cherish every moment you can with David. Be there as often as you can for him and Daphne. Children grow up fast, and time slips by in the blink of an eye. I know that's what we hear from almost all parents, Niles, but it's true. That's what happened to me, and some days I feel I wasn't there as often as I should have been."

For a second, all was quiet after Frasier spoke, and just before Niles could reply, Daphne opened the door to the balcony. "Niles, could you take the baby? I need to get a blanket."

"Of course, my love," he responded as he traded the glass of sherry in his hand for the child who would now bring new light into his life. "Thank you, Frasier. Let the cherished moments begin," he said while never tearing his gaze from David.

Frasier raised his sherry glass in toast, "Welcome to fatherhood, Niles."

Niles thanked his brother once more and stepped inside the apartment, overjoyed to start this new chapter in his life.

...

**A/N:** More to come!


	2. A Night to Remember

**Disclaimer:** See Chapter 1

**A/N:** There is a minor reference to the episode "Freudian Dreams." I don't think Niles ever confessed his dream to Daphne, but for my story's purposes, he did. :)

A Night to Remember

Niles awoke with a start to the sound of fussing and unintelligent babbling noises piercing through the short-lived peace and quiet that lingered in the darkness of his family's apartment at the Montana complex. He sighed, knowing that David was awake again, and for the fourth time tonight. Slowly he sat up, separating himself from his wife and the warmth of their bed, gently uncurling his arm from Daphne's waist in his effort not to wake her. It was his hope that he could quiet his son and lull him back to sleep before the cries woke Daphne, but just as he removed himself from her, it became clear that it was too late for that...she had begun to stir.

Her voice, soft and shallow though thick with sleep, reached Niles' ears in a quiet whisper. "Niles, is the baby awake again?" As she faced him now, eyes half-open, Niles looked down at her and smiled in the darkness. It amazed him that she could take on any appearance or condition, whether she be awake and lively, or just plain tired like she was now, and still be just as lovely as she was the moment he layed eyes on her. He could tell that she was exhausted, though, and reckoned she needed to get some sleep. Daphne had fed David not two hours ago and put him to bed, and received only a little less than an hour of sleep before David awoke them again, communicating through sharp cries that his diaper needed to be changed. David was a week old now, and the past seven days had drained a lot out of them both, but Niles knew that every minute was worth it, and he wouldn't trade it for anything. He walked over to Daphne's side of the bed and tucked the comforter around her, his way of insisting she lie down while he tended to their baby.

"Yes, he is awake, my love. I was just going to go check on him; I didn't mean to disturb you."

"Oh no, that's alright. I'll go get him. Besides, I think it's me turn anyways," she smiled and sat herself up in the bed, somewhat reluctant to move from her comfortable position. Niles kissed her on the forehead. "I insist, my love. You're tired and I wager you're enervated. Just rest, and I'll be right back."

This was so like Niles. For as long as Daphne had known him, he did everything in his power to make her happy, always keeping her best interest at heart, and this was precisely why she loved him so much. Yes, she was tired, and the past week had certainly proved parenthood to be a job for two, but being a parent with Niles made her happier than she had ever been in her life. Despite the exhaustion that came with the job, it was worth every late-night feeding, every moment rocking the baby to sleep, and every nightly check-up on the baby at...Daphne glanced at the alarm...3:30 in the morning.

"Niles, really, I'm already awake, so I guess as long as we're both up, we may as well both check in on David. Besides, as tired as we both might be, is this not one of the most wonderful things we could do together?" Her words rang through Niles' ears like a sweet song; she could not have been more right, and with that he took his wife's hand as she got out of bed and together they went into their son's nursery.

David's crying had gotten louder, and they entered his room to find him kicking his little arms and legs wildly about as tear tracks stained his cheeks. Daphne turned on a crescent lamp, illuminating the room just enough so as not to overwhelm their eyes from any intense light, and Niles reached over into the baby crib and scooped up his son, hugging him tightly to his chest.

"Shh, shh. Not to worry son, mommy and daddy are here now. We're here." As he continued to murmur soothing whispers, David's crying quieted, and Daphne took in the sight her husband and beautiful son, bonding together in the wee hours of the morning. How could Niles have ever doubted his ability to be a good father? She laughed to herself, remembering a time when he told her he had once dreamt of being incapable of fatherhood, and assured her, over and over again, that he would do everything in his power to do the best he could when David arrived. She insisted, though, that she didn't need his assurances, or even her psychic powers, to know that once David was born, Niles would never disappoint. He had proved himself to be the wonderful man he was, over and over again during the years that she knew him, and that was all she needed to know that he would be the best father a child could ever have.

After feeling his diaper for any heaviness or moisture, Daphne determined that he didn't need to be changed, and she already reasoned that he wasn't hungry, because she had fed him not too long ago. She noticed that by now David had grown quiet, his eyelids growing heavy as he snuggled into the warmth of his father's chest and relaxed to the touch of Niles stroking circles against his back.

"Oh, Niles, you're wonderful. I think you've got him back to sleep," she said softly once David's eyes closed completely.

Niles was delighted, proud to see that his paternal instincts were actually shining through. "Daphne, I did it! I soothed my son to sleep, I'm actually doing what fathers do!"

"I never had any doubt you could, Niles." Daphne kissed him on the lips. "Come on, let's go to bed. The three of us." She smiled as Niles silently nodded in agreement, and together they returned to the main bedroom. Daphne pulled out the covers for Niles, so that he could slip into the bed first without having to remove his arms from David and risk waking him. Once he was settled, she crawled in next to them and snuggled into the warmth.

Niles looked at his family once more before sleep took him over. Nothing could get more perfect than this. All the sounds that came with parenthood- the baby's cries and coos, the sound of Daphne's humming a lullaby, and even the silence that came when David fell asleep, were all music to his ears. He couldn't ask for anything more.

"Good night, David. Good night, my love."

"Sleep well, Niles."

And sleep well, he did. It wasn't long before the little family soon succumbed to a peaceful slumber.


	3. Memories of the flour children

**Disclaimer:** See Chapter 1

* * *

Radiant beams of early sunlight began to cast a warm glow inside the Crane apartment at the Montana complex. Niles slowly opened his eyes, now waking from a most wonderful night's sleep; he was still clutching David to his chest and took an opportunity to peek at his son, whose face was still lax with sleep, eyelids fluttering and eyes moving about while he absent-mindedly sucked his thumb. The psychologist in him couldn't help but wonder if his son was dreaming, and if he was, what was it about? Do babies even dream, even before they know what dreams are?

_Dreams_.

Had sunrise never come, Niles was sure he would eventually have convinced himself that his entire existence was just that. This new chapter in his life was more than he ever could have hoped for, and there was nothing in the world he could say or do to express the magnitude of how grateful he was, except to be there for David and Daphne every day, and forever love them to the max. His wife and child were two blessings who made every day like a paradise, and Niles hoped that Frasier would find the woman he was meant to be with, so that he too could find the same fulfillment and contentment through another. Niles smiled at the mere thought of his fatherhood, and pressed a kiss to his son's head, making sure to be gentle so as not to disturb his son.

Suddenly the scent of fine-ground and freshly brewed coffee permeated the air and filled Niles' nostrils. He turned his head to face the door of the bedroom to see Daphne entering with a tray of breakfast in hand. The morning sunlight bounced off of her hair and illuminated her face, making her appear to Niles even more heavenly than the aroma of the coffee that she prepared.

"Good morning, darling," she greeted him as she approached the bed and leaned in to kiss him, and then David.

"It certainly is, my love. Did you sleep well last night?"

"I most certainly did, Niles. Although, I suppose that's what I should be asking you, since you held the baby all night long."

"Well, sleeping next to my lovely wife while having a chance to bond with my son...I honestly don't think I've ever slept better." Niles smiled at his wife and then shifted his gaze to their still-sleeping son. "Daphne, there were times I pondered the joys of being a father, but never up until the point where I actually became one did I realize the extent of the true joy of it."

"Neither did I, Niles. Before we were together, I occasionally thought about being a mother." Daphne giggled at the memory of a day when she held a flour child in Frasier's kitchen, patted it's "back" and swayed back and forth as if to soothe it to sleep.

"Does something amuse you, my love?"

"Nothing. Just a memory."

"Can I wager it has something to do with my flour child?"

Daphne gave Niles his answer when she giggled again at the memory of Niles' fatherhood experiment, and at how in the end, Eddie got the best of that poor bag of flour, which had already been bandanged and ripped before the week was even out. _That dingo's got your baby_.

In retrospect, testing their abilities to parent bags of flour now seemed so silly. Granted it was an experiment worth trying, but in a way, things seemed so much easier in the real situation. Yes, David cried a lot, kept them up in all hours of the night, and he needed to be constantly fed and changed. But the fact remained that this was _their _baby with _real_ needs. Maybe something about becoming a parent kicked in certain instincts they needed to care for David, something that neither received while taking care of simple bags of flour. A bag was heavy and paper-stiff, uncomfortable to hold. But David was small and baby-soft; his body morphed perfectly into his parents' arms when they cradled him, and his little head fit perfectly into the crooks of their necks when either held him close. A flour bag never made noise, but David cried, letting them know when it was time for a feeding or a diaper change, or if he was hurt, his cries would alert them to watch him more closely in the future. And unlike the flour, David was a living being. That meant Eddie was more likely to lick him and play with him, rather than pull him apart and make a big mess.

Nile's and Daphne's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a tiny yawn, and Niles felt his arms go cold as the tiny boy in his hands began to stir.

"It looks like someone's waking up," Daphne said as she stroked David's warm cheek. "I'll tell you what Niles, I'll trade you a plate of breakfast for the baby, and get this little one fed." Niles agreed and passed David over in exchange for the meal Daphne prepared, consisting of a low-calorie omelette, a bran muffin, and freshly ground coffee. He smiled at his wife in appreciation, took a sip of coffee, and sighed contentedly.

"I thought you'd enjoy the coffee Niles. I added steamed milk and just enough foam to give the effect of a cumulous cloud reflected in a still pond."

"My love, you know me too well."

"What can I say? I worked for your brother for years. And you're like him in many ways. Eleven years were plenty of time to get to know the Crane men down to a tee."

"I'm glad, Daphne. Having you come to work for Dad was the best thing that happened to our family, and especially me. I love you, Daphne."

"I love you too, darling." She leaned in to kiss him again. "Enjoy your breakfast. I'm going to get David dressed and fed. We'll just be in the nursery."

Niles nodded and sighed to himself, smiling as he watched his wife and son make their way to the next room over. As long as he had them, each and every day of his life was off to a wonderful start.


End file.
